At Hotel Sanders, which offers guests the very best in hospitality and interior design, UNIQLO’s Extra Fine Merino Crew Neck Long Sleeve Sweater has been adopted as the uniform for kitchen staff. It looks great paired with an apron.
First-Rate Dining on a Rooftop Farm
Gro Spiseri
Æbeløgade 4, 2100 København, Denmark
+45 52 22 28 79
Thursday-Saturday 17:30 and 20:30, Sunday 17:00 and 19:30 (March and November), Thursday-Monday 17:30 and 20:30 (April-October), Thursday-Saturday 18:30, Sunday 17:00 and 19:30 (December-January) CLOSED Monday-Wednesday (January, March, November, December), Tuesday-Wednesday (April-October), February *Reservation-only
- Founded in 2014, Gro Spiseri is Denmark’s first organic restaurant situated in a rooftop farm. This 600 m2 farm produces 50 varieties of organic vegetables and herbs, which it delivers to its 40 members upon harvest. At the restaurant in the greenhouse, New Nordic Cuisine is served at a long table seating 25 guests. Visit to experience the latest concepts and tastes that Copenhagen has to offer.
The restaurant is owned by Kristian Skaarup (pictured upper right, second from left). Apart from caring for his chickens and growing vegetables, he likes to ride his prized YAMAHA TT500 motorcycle. The team of chefs, hailing from world-renowned restaurants like Noma, creates complex and three-dimensional flavours, with a knack for gorgeous presentation. The careful explanations given for each dish add an extra element of flavour.
Prix fixe 495 DKK per person.
Creating Spirits Rich in Flavor
Empirical Spirits
Refshalevej 175B, 1432 København, Denmark
OPEN 12:00-19:00 CLOSED Monday-Wednesday
- The Empirical Spirits distillery is located in a former shipyard in Refshaleøen, a hotspot of development. Utilising his experience in the test kitchen at Noma, Lars Williams founded the distillery in 2017 with his business partner Mark Emil Hermansen. The name “Empirical” refers to the brand’s scientific methods, where time, temperature and volume are treated as variables in a process of trial and error, to create spirits with the ideal taste and flavour.
Reminiscent of a laboratory, the facility is lined with giant tanks and distillation equipment. The small room with the window is the koji sauna. In order to prevent unwanted fungi from intruding, access is limited to three members of the staff. The kasu, or lees, leftover after fermentation are used for making miso, soy sauce and kombucha, so that almost nothing goes to waste.
Recharging in the Comforts of Home
Hotel Sanders
Tordenskjoldsgade 15, 1055 København, Denmark
+45 46 40 00 40
- Alexander Kølpin, a former dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet, set up his Hotel Sanders behind the Royal Danish Theatre. Based on the belief that staying at a hotel should be as memorable as seeing a ballet, he set out to create a tastefully designed space where guests can totally unwind. Every part of the hotel, from the rooms and lobby to the rooftop bar, the bathrooms, and the halls, has the relaxing warmth of home.
The rooftop and the cafe in the courtyard terrace provide leisurely spaces for even those not staying at the hotel to have tea, making them popular meeting spots for locals. Sporting an eclectic mix of rattan chairs and lights from Arne Jacobsen and a Poul Henningsen piano, the hotel’s unpretentious atmosphere is at once high-end and low-key. 54 rooms. Single Rooms starting from 2,400 DKK.
The City that Creates New Value
Copenhagen is home to Noma, which has been named the Best Restaurant in the World. Focusing on local ingredients, the chefs at Noma sought out untapped natural flavours to create dishes no one had ever seen or tasted, pioneering what has become the New Nordic Cuisine. The offspring of Noma have left the nest and taken on new challenges, placing this city on the leading edge of food culture.
One of these Noma alums is Lars Williams of Empirical Spirits, who co-founded his distillery on the premise that food can change the world. The wide-ranging ingredients used for flavouring their spirits are purchased in direct trade relationships that bolster local agriculture. When using habaneros, they derive the flavours in such a way as to preserve the taste and the aroma, but without any of the harsher spiciness, creating a spirit you would never dream of.
Kristian Skaarup, of the rooftop farm and restaurant Gro Spiseri, has experience as a landscape architect, while Alexander Kølpin of Hotel Sanders is a former ballet dancer. All of the individuals showcased in these pages created entirely new values by venturing into unknown worlds. One of the things that makes this town so livable is that anybody, anytime can give shape to their ideas, as long as they have conviction.
Crossing are the Crux of a Bicycle City
Bridges are essential to smooth transit through the city. In 2015, the city unveiled Cirkelbroen, or Circle Bridge (1st), designed by Copenhagen-born artist Olafur Eliasson. This follows the tone set by Cykelslangen (2nd), a bicycle-only highway completed in 2014 and devised by architects who once worked under Arne Jacobsen. The Inderhavnsbroen (3rd), built in 2016 to connect Nyhavn and Christianshavn, is always bustling with commuter traffic.
Biomega
Østerbrogade 78, st, 2100 København, Denmark
+45 20 75 70 79
OPEN Monday-Friday 10:00-18:00, Saturday 10:00-15:00
CLOSED Sunday
- This city is compact, and its roads are flat. Its network of bike lanes makes it the most bicycle-friendly city in the world. Biomega’s bicycles are also known as furniture for locomotion instrumental in how the urban landscape is being redesigned. The design group KiBiSi, comprising Biomega founder Jens Martin Skibsted, architect Bjarke Ingels, and industrial designer Lars Larsen, plays a main role in creating the bicycles.
Metro
Sustainable Transit
Opened at the end of September 2019, the M3 is the third and latest line of the Copenhagen Metro. This new loop line goes full circle in about 24 minutes. Using driverless trains, it operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Ride in the frontmost car, and the view is like being on a roller coaster. This is a metro for a sustainable city, where dogs, bicycles, and strollers can board with ease.
Praising Bicycles and the Sea
Kastrup Søbad
Amager Strandvej 301, 2770 Kastrup, Denmark
- All along the Danish seaside, you’ll find piers set up for jumping in the water, where locals enjoy summer to the fullest. This public ocean pool, complete with changing rooms and showers, was constructed on the coast of Kastrup in 2005. Even if you don’t go swimming, the pier is a lovely place for a stroll.
One of the requirements for a livable city is having a swimmable ocean. In the waterfront city of Copenhagen, the ocean and canals, as well as the bridges that cross them, are familiar sights. But how to use the space above the sea itself? Questions surrounding floating life have been the subject of debate. Swimming in the ocean is one of the pleasures of the fleeting Danish summer, with swimmers filling public ocean pools like Kastrup Søbad and even popping up in the canal along Cykelslangen (pictured left). The water may be a little cold, but in Copenhagen, people jump right in.
In terms of livability, you’re not going to find a city that loves bicycles more than Copenhagen. More than 60% of people here commute to work or school by bicycle, including many members of parliament. The first boom hit in the 1920s and 1930s, during which time the roads were overhauled. Today, countless bike lanes have been installed alongside roads, with bike freeways also being constructed. Three-wheeled bikes equipped with luggage bins are a common sight, and since they have their roots in the autonomous district of Christiania, they are sometimes called Christiania bikes. It’s a lovely sight to see these bikes carrying everything from packages to dogs and children.
Skiing on a Thermal Power Plant
CopenHill
Vindmøllevej 6, 2300 København, Denmark
+45 51 94 19 20
OPEN 12:00-20:00, Wednesday 12:00-22:00, Saturday 10:00-20:00,
Sunday 10:00-18:00
- This sloping structure is at once a thermal power plant, known as the Amager Resource Center, and a ski slope called CopenHill. Every year, it converts over 400,000 tons of waste into energy, providing power to as many as 150,000 homes. The waste combustor went into operation first, and the ski slope, complete with a lift, opened last October. Other attractions include an 85-meter vertical climbing wall (bumpy portion below smoke stack), as well as a hiking trail replete with vegetation that was designed by the landscape architecture studio SLA.
Pictured in a tuxedo is Jakob Lange, one of the Partners-in-Charge. An avid skier, he was particular about the smoothness and safety of the green plastic ski track. On the quick ride up the elevator from street level to the summit, you can peer into the power plant, while topside you can enjoy exquisite views of Copenhagen. Ski slope usage fee is 150 DKK per hour.
Forms that Shape the Future
Bjarke Ingels
Architect
- Born in 1974 in Copenhagen. After studying at the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura in Barcelona, he worked under Rem Koolhaas at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture. In 2005, he founded BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). He is currently designing a floating city optimised for climate change.
Superkilen
Nørrebroruten, 2200 København, Denmark
- Completed in 2012, Superkilen is a public park in the ethnically diverse neighborhood of Nørrebro. Its design team included Bjarke’s studio BIG, Superflex, and Topotek 1. The park incorporates 108 public objects from 57 different countries, speaking to the myriad voices of the local population.
“Denmark may not have mountains. But it does have heaps of trash.“
Given the circumstances, Bjarke Ingels, a young architect at the pinnacle of his field and the driving force behind the architecture studio BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), opted to build a waste-to-energy power plant in one of the busiest areas of the city. The project never could have happened without the cooperation of the forward-thinking Copenhagen city government and its collaborators. By 2025, Copenhagen aims to become the first carbon neutral city, where carbon emissions equal carbon sequestration, a goal which CopenHill will play an active role in meeting. Thanks to leading-edge filtration technology, waste can be incinerated with virtually no pollution. This means that while you’re breathing fresh air on the rooftop, steam generated by incinerated waste is being converted into clean energy in what Bjarke calls “a futuristic facility that looks almost like a Star Wars set.“ CopenHill is not only a glimpse of the sustainable cities of the future, but also an important test case. By confronting environmental issues head-on and converting them into positive opportunities, it generates exciting new value and paves the way for the future. Another aspect of what makes Copenhagen so livable is its magnanimous spirit of innovation.
Pocketable Hits the Streets
Marshall Blecher Architect
Magnus Maarbjerg Architect & Designer
Perfect for the Floating Life
“We’re building a big floating island, hoping to be done next summer. As sea levels keep going up all over the world, rigs like this that can go anywhere will be essential. Copenhagen needs to start thinking more about floating life. Light and water-repellent items like this parka that I’m wearing will really come in handy. The UV Cut feature is perfect for living on the water.“ (Magnus)
“It’s great having a place to rest on the water in the summertime. The city gave us the OK. My coat is pocketable as well. Fits easily into my bag. The weather on the water can be unpredictable, so you need to have a hood.“ (Marshall)
- Marshall Blecher/ Architect
- Born in 1987 in Australia. Studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, where he and Magnus teamed up for their graduation project. Since founding his own studio, he devotes himself to home interior design while working on the floating island project.
- Magnus Maarbjerg/Architect & Designer
- Born in 1986 in Denmark. Living on a sailboat with his parents, by 2011 he had sailed around the world five times. He met Marshall while studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture. After graduating, he founded the design studio Fokstrot.
Thomas Lykke Head of Design & Founding Partner
Anne-Marie Buemann Managing Partner
Clothing for a Healthy Urban Lifestyle
“I do CrossFit at six in the morning to get to work by nine. Right now I’m keeping busy with projects in Vietnam and Philadelphia, but living in Copenhagen means having a great work-life balance. Lots of green spaces and chances to see friends. I like kayaking in summertime. Work is important, but having a home life and a city that supports you is essential. UNIQLO is perfect for a healthy urban lifestyle. This coat holds up against the rain without being stuffy. Ideal for walking the dog. Plus it’s pocketable. Thanks to the roomy fit, it works with any style.“ (Thomas)
“At lunch, the whole staff goes out for open-faced sandwiches. Since my pants are navy blue, I went with black.“ (Anne-Marie)
- Thomas Lykke/Head of Design&Founding Partner
- Born in 1971 in Copenhagen. After working as a fashion designer, he entered the world of design. Serving as Interior Director of Wallpaper Magazine, he went on to found OeO Studio. His interior design work includes Inua, a restaurant in Tokyo.
- Anne-Marie Buemann/Managing Partner
- Born in Copenhagen. The first employee of OeO, she is now the CEO. She also serves as Managing Partner and coordinates the seven-person design studio. Her hobby is yoga. Her puppy is a five-month-old Labrador Retriever named Ella.
Frederik Bille Brahe Chef
Nothing Beats Normal
“Copenhagen is rich in social services, so if things aren’t going well, you’ll find support. This makes the city prime for taking on new challenges. If you have a dream, it’s easy to get started. In the same way that I was able to open a restaurant, artists are free to experiment. Even if you fail, the community is there to back you up. It’s a small town, so people feel quite close to one another. Everybody gets along, making it possible for people the same age to share their work and grow. I’m always ducking in and out of different places, so a portable parka like this is really handy. The high-quality makes it easy to wear anytime and anyplace. Normal in the best way possible.“
Apollo Bar
Nyhavn 2, 1051 København, Denmark
+45 60 53 44 14
OPEN Tuesday 8:00-17:00, Wednesday and Thursday 8:00-midnight,
Friday 8:00-2:00, Saturday 10:00-midnight, Sunday 10:00-17:00
CLOSED Monday
- Housed in the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Charlottenborg Palace. We recommend taking a seat in one of the J39 Shaker Chairs, designed by Børge Mogensen and previously used at the academy, and admiring the sculptures over a plate of avocado toast (135 DKK). Skat, the beloved cafe dog, is there to keep you company.
Apollo Kantine
Nyhavn 2, 1051 København, Denmark
OPEN Tuesday-Friday 12:00-14:00
CLOSED Saturday-Monday
- Apollo Kantine is just a short walk from Apollo Bar. Serving a single vegetarian dish that changes daily, this reasonable lunch spot is popular among students from the art school. Thanks to promotions like free food on the first day of classes, the place is always packed.
- Frederik Bille Brahe/ Chef
- Born in 1983 in Copenhagen. After cooking at the fine-dining establishment Kong Hans Kælder, he opened Atelier September. While working on Apollo Bar and Apollo Kantine, he remains active as a producer and in catering.
Thit Vinholdt Bøgehave Staff
Atelier September
Gothersgade 30, 1123 København, Denmark
OPEN Monday-Friday 7:30-18:00, Saturday and Sunday 9:00-17:00
- If you want a tasty breakfast, stop by Atelier September. The healthy breakfast boom in Copenhagen started here, at Frederik’s first restaurant. The rear of the space is a boutique selling furniture and posters.
Designmuseum Danmark
Bredgade 68, 1260 København, Denmark
+45 33 18 56 56
OPEN Tuesday, Thursday-Sunday 10:00-18:00, Wednesday 10:00-21:00
CLOSED Monday
- Denmark has produced more masters of design than perhaps any other country. Pay a visit to the Designmuseum Danmark, and you’ll learn everything there is to know about the sort of masterworks you can find all around the city. Kaare Klint, the father of Danish design, was responsible for remodeling the Frederiks Hospital to accommodate the museum. In the gallery of famous chairs, you’ll find rare works from Hans Jørgensen Wegner and Finn Juhl, some of which you can try sitting in yourself. The objects gathered here are not fine art, so much as fine examples of the things that we use everyday.
“I’m taking a gap year to work at Atelier September. Since I always bike to work, I love the colour of this parka. It keeps me safe and fits just right for pedaling. The fact that it’s pocketable makes it ideal for Copenhagen, where everyone is always biking around.“
- Thit Vinholdt Bøgehave/ Staff
- “I’m taking a gap year to work at Atelier September. Since I always bike to work, I love the colour of this parka. It keeps me safe and fits just right for pedaling. The fact that it’s pocketable makes it ideal for Copenhagen, where everyone is always biking around.“
Store Information
UNIQLO STRØGET
Vimmelskaftet 38, Copenhagen, Denmark
OPEN 10:00-19:00, Sunday 11:00-18:00
Uniqlo Copenhagen Strøget, our first store in Denmark, opened last year in a historic seventeenth-century building known affectionately as Louise Hus. Illustrated murals speaking to the diverse city population greet you by the stairs, followed by displays of bicycles from Biomega and Denmark’s iconic Legos.
* 1 DKK = apx. 16 JPY (December 2019)
Photography by Kazufumi Shimoyashiki
Coordination by Chieko Tomita
Text by Tamio Ogasawara
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